Limerick city guide

19/05/2023

If you’re considering relocating to Ireland, Limerick could be the city for you. Ireland’s third largest city, it was founded by the Vikings in 922AD - with its imposing castle and medieval cathedral to its Georgian townhouses, lining the banks of the River Shannon is an ancient city that has embraced modernity while retaining the charm of its storied heritage..

Here’s our guide to living and working in one of Irelands oldest cities.

Things you might not know about Limerick

Not only was the ninth president of Ireland - Michael D Higgins - a Limerick man but the F in JFK comes from Limerick too. Thomas Fitzgerald, the great grandfather of John F Kennedy, 35th president of the USA, hailed from this part of Ireland.

Irish coffee was first invented in a small village just outside Limerick during the 1940s. Coffee was combined with a shot of Irish whiskey and cream at a restaurant that was popular with those flying out of Foynes Airport, so it soon spread across the world.

Housing

Accommodation is reasonably affordable in Limerick, with rentals being the cheapest of Ireland’s four largest cities and house purchases below the national average. Two-thirds of the working population travel to work in less than half an hour, making the decision of where to live more straightforward.

Among the most popular suburbs of Limerick are Raheen, Dooradoyle, Corbally, Catherdavin and Castletroy. Outside of the city centre, Monaleen, Annacoty and Ballycummin are also worth exploring.

Renting a flat or house in or around Limerick

The average cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is £1,103, while outside of the innermost area is £922. You can expect to pay around £1,348 for accommodation with three bedrooms on the outskirts of Limerick.

Buying a home in or around Limerick

A three-bedroom semi-detached house in Limerick city costs an average of £235,000, with bargains to be had outside of the city limits. The same accommodation elsewhere in the county will set you back £198,000.

Visa requirements

The Common Travel Area allows British and Irish citizens to live and work freely in each other's countries and travel between them without additional documentation. This means UK nationals don’t need a visa or residency permit to live and work in Limerick.

Cost of living in Limerick

The cost of living in Limerick is 31.2 per cent lower than London. It’s the only Irish city outside of Dublin where disposable income is greater than the national average, making for a good way of life for those with jobs in the tech sector.

Salaries in Limerick

The average salary in Limerick is £38,386, whereas a software engineer can expect to bring in £49,191.

Commuting and public transport around Limerick

Limerick has an extensive public transport network, with Colbert Station in the centre of the city acting as its main hub. New bus routes are set to be introduced by 2025, with the result being 61 per cent of those living in the city being within 400 metres of a bus stop. The proposals will also see some services running 24 hours a day.

Schools

Children in Ireland are required to attend primary and secondary school from the age of six to 16, although many begin when they’re five, with the school year starting in September. They can be taken to pre-school prior to this and continue their education to age 18 and beyond. Irish is a core subject for school pupils in Limerick, but children can be exempted if they meet certain criteria. This can include having had no previous education in Irish, as they attended school outside of the country.

Global companies in Limerick

Among the global tech companies with a presence in Limerick are Dell, Apple and Amazon, meaning there’s a wide selection of jobs available in the sector. Just 20 minutes outside of Limerick is Intel Shannon’s Research and Development campus, which is a world-leading facility for transforming the connected world. Analog Devices recently announced the development of a new facility in the city, intended to help accelerate advances in cutting-edge applications, including digital biology, electric vehicles and robotics.

Out of office

Limerick is located just off the Wild Atlantic Way, meaning there’s lots of opportunities to discover the natural beauty of Ireland. The city itself has plenty of historic and cultural attractions to explore too. Some sights worth visiting are: King John’s Castle, St Mary’s Cathedral, Milk Market, Limerick City Gallery of Art, The Hunt Museum and People’s Park.

Local delicacy

Two local specialities are Limerick ham, which is smoked over juniper and boiled in cider before being baked, and whiskey cheese, with a local liquor added to the curd prior to a nine-month maturing process. Both of these delicacies can be enjoyed at The Copper Room on O’Connell Street, with the cheese making a distinctly-flavoured fondue.